Hi everyone! Here at Zenkaikon has just announced the dates for it's fifth anniversary convention! For our fifth year, are not only expanding to a three-day event, but will be holding the convention in a space about four times larger than last year! We are currently working furiously to make Zenkaikon V the biggest and best yet, and lots more announcements will be coming out soon. I will try to keep this thread updated as new information comes out. Also, feel free to reply to this thread with any questions you might have, and I will do my best to answer

VALLEY FORGE, PENNSYLVANIA -- April 10, 2010: The staff of Zenkaikon is pleased to announce that its fifth anniversary convention, "Zenkaikon V: The Ides of March," will take place on March 18-20, 2011 at the Valley Forge Convention Center and Valley Forge Scanticon Hotel and Conference Center. The event will offer three days of anime, video gaming, panels, special guests, cosplay, vendors and more, in a space about four times the size of its previous location.

"We are very excited to have so much more space this year, and to be able to offer three days of programming. Expanding across two venues means more space to hold activities and for attendees to spread out," says Convention Chair Matilda Madden. "By moving our event to the spring time frame, we are looking forward to more pleasant weather, as well as more time to plan, prepare, and acquire staff for our biggest event yet. While we realize this event is a few months later than our past conventions, we believe attendees will feel it was well worth the wait."

The Zenkaikon staff wishes to thank all the attendees who have supported the convention over the years, helping it grow from only a few hundred attendees in 2006 to nearly two thousand last year. More information regarding special guests, events, and registration should be available soon.

About Zenkaikon: Since 2006, Zenkaikon has been bringing quality Japanese animation (anime), comics (manga), and popular culture themed events to the Philadelphia area. The convention is staffed completely by volunteers, who want to share their appreciation for these mediums with the Philadelphia region. Zenkaikon features a variety of activities including anime and live action screenings, video and tabletop gaming, special guests, costume competitions, panels, concerts, vendors, and more. Starting as a small one-day event, the convention has grown rapidly to welcome nearly two thousand attendees in 2009. The Zenkaikon staff wishes to thank all the attendees who have supported and helped it grow over the years. They look forward to building an event that will be an integral part of the region's culture for many years to come. More information on Zenkaikon is available at http://www.zenkaikon.com.

Last edited by Kirsehn on Tue Jul 13, 2010 3:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Zenkaikon is pleased to announce its first guest for its 2011 convention, Greg "Greggo" Wicker, famous for running a variety of game shows at conventions across the country. It is also announcing the opening of panel submissions for its event, and a venue preview video to introduce attendees to our new space.

Zenkaikon is pleased to announce voice actor and producer Vic Mignogna as a guest of honor at Zenkaikon V. Mr. Mignogna has been our most frequently requested guest for Zenkaikon, and we are very excited to be able to have him at our upcoming convention!

Just a reminder that the first discount pre-registration deadline for Zenkaikon V is only a week away! Pre-register by July 19, 2010 to save up to $15 on a three-day pass (vs. the at-door rate), and save time in line at the convention.

All pre-registrants will also be able to pick up their badges on Thursday evening. Check in the night before, and start enjoying the convention as soon as it opens on Friday!

Zenkaikon is pleased to announce that for the first time it will be featuring LARP as part of its official convention events!

What is "LARP"? It stands for "Live-Action Role Play", a game where you'll be playing as your favorite anime and manga characters. Hundreds are available for you to play! The game will run the course of the weekend, featuring an overarching plot and scheduled events, so you can attend as much or as little as you like. LARP is not a cosplay event, meaning you do not need to be in costume to attend. You don't even need to be dressed as the character you'd be playing. But if you want to, you're more than welcome to!

Zenkaikon is pleased to welcome actor, director, and writer Todd Haberkorn as a guest of honor at its 2011 convention. Mr. Haberkorn voices roles in many popular series including Ouran High School Host Club, Axis Powers Hetalia, and many others.

Hey everyone, below are some updates about Zenkaikon V! The second pre-registration deadline is forthcoming shortly.

Two Weeks Left for Pre-Registration Discount

Don't forget that the second discount pre-registration deadline for Zenkaikon V is less than 2 weeks away! Pre-register by November 1, 2010 to save up to $10 on a three-day membership vs at-door rates, and save time in line at the convention. For Zenkaikon V, we are also offering a brand new benefit to our pre-registered members. All pre-registrants will be able to pick up their badges on Thursday evening. Check in the night before, and start enjoying the convention as soon as it opens on Friday!

It is the dedicated staff and volunteers who make events like Zenkaikon possible, and we are still recruiting for our 2011 event. In exchange for your commitment as either a staff member or volunteer, you may be eligible for a number of perks including admission, food, T-shirts, and more! Get more information on the respective application pages:

We’re very excited to announce that Japanese band Rose Noire will be making their US concert debut at Zenkaikon! Check out a segment of the press release announcing them below!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Rose Noire to Perform at Zenkaikon

Wednesday, November 3rd. Havertown, PA: Tainted Reality is proud to announce that they will be bringing Japanese underground goth sensation, Rose Noire, for their US concert debut to Zenkaikon. At the con, they will performing 2 concerts, engaging with the fans in Q&A panels, selling merchandise, and signing autographs. Zenkaikon will be held at the Valley Forge Convention Center, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, March 18-20, 2011.

About Rose Noire: Rose Noire was formed by Louie (Vocal) and Jill (Violin), when they were students of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. They are free from predefined genres and concepts and compose their own world in the image of their own existence and music. Their music is based on Classical Music, but adds the variety of other genres, like Rock, R&B, Club music, Industrial, Electronica and so on. In 2007, they received the ZOOM award at the SONY-ZOOM DEMO tape competition.

We’re excited to announce the five-person band Gelatine as a musical guest at our 2011 convention! Led by their lead singer, Seiko, this “horrific, comical, punkish, crazy Japanese rock group” combines a variety of influences into an intense, energetic show. They look forward to performing at Zenkaikon!

About Gelatine:
Gelatine is one of the most consistently entertaining bands in New York. They’re a rock band who seem to mix influences of classical, Japanese traditional, metal, and cartoons, into a rowdy and enjoyable listening experience. As for their ability to play their instruments, they’re technically quite impressive, but their secret weapon is Seiko, their lead singer. She has appeared on stage in diapers, as a bandaged schoolgirl, as a military officer, and currently designs her own outfits. She puts an amazing amount of energy into each performance, surprising and delighting with self-created dance routines, and a variety of moves which range from sexy, to provocative, and lately often give the impression that she has regressed to the state of a hyperactive five-year-old. -Paul Wheeler of RockOfJapan.com

Zenkaikon is happy to announce that information regarding the Hall Cosplay Contest and Masquerade is now available. Also new for 2011, is that the Hall Cosplay Contest is now going to be held both Friday and Saturday! Also on the website are details for the Cosplay Dating Game.

Submission for the Hall Cosplay Contest, Masquerade, and Cosplay Dating Game will start in mid-December.